


Torch Committee Drabbles

by Adazzle



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Deathly Hallows, Ministry of Magic, Second War with Voldemort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-23
Updated: 2021-01-03
Packaged: 2021-03-08 03:06:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 871
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26608729
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Adazzle/pseuds/Adazzle
Summary: Six perspectives as the Ministry fallsinspired by (and titles from) Josh Ritter's phenomenal song the torch committee. I don't own content. Obligatory I don't support JKR's stances on...everything.
Relationships: Arthur Weasley/Molly Weasley
Kudos: 2





	1. So put your finger to the names, the only cure for fear is blame

Arthur took the day off of work after the wedding. He was planning to, anyway, to help Molly clean up and perhaps show the delacours a bit of England, but he wasn't expecting to be healing himself and comforting his frantic family (minus his youngest son). They can't afford any suspicion, and he's low on leave, so he goes back the next day.

Pius Thicknesse's assistant stops him as he exits the lift. "Mr Weasley, we have some-suspicions". 

They interview him in the dungeons. The barely legal charmed teapot collection he showed Perkins once-once!-is now evidence of a possible "conspiracy to break the statute of secrecy". "speaking of breaks"-the auror supervising speaks up as the end the hour of questions he's sat through. Arthur sighs. "No, I don't know where Harry Potter is. Why does everyone keep asking that?" Every area of his life will be subject to scrutiny now. No matter what they dig up, he's ready.


	2. In doing so, you’re doing good; there’s many called who never would

Pius had never expected to become the Minister of Magic. He was a career potions market official. He was here for numbers, and not much else, and as a former Ravenclaw, he cared for fairness, if only for the numbers.

Yaxley came to his house late at night. His dogs were growling behind him. With a face like that, no wonder animals didn't like Yaxley. "Aren't you in the DMLE?" Pius asked. "We took care of that deal with Ecuador, I know the problem was on our end-"

He hears the word before he sees the wand. He's never been under an unforgivable before.

Pius Thicknesse had always thought he'd go far. Minister of Magic. It only made sense.


	3. Who stuck by what they thought was right, who disappeared in dark of night

“We would be honored to have you in the Department of International Magical Cooperation, Hyperion”, the minister says.

He swallows. His throat is dry.

“And my job would focus on- t-this new project, you say?” 

Travers leans forward. “What the Minister means to say is that your experience as an ambassador puts you in a unique role to show the world what we are doing.” 

To the left of Travers, Dolores Umbridge coughs and he almost sighs in annoyance. “To add to my colleague, Mr Greengrass, you also understand that we all must do our part in striving to rid our world of what doesn’t belong. Weakened blood, even a few generations back, has consequences. Imagine what happens to those who mix with nonmagical blood-“.

Hyperion does not know how Umbridge knows about Astoria’s malediction and Daphne’s little-dalliance-but he understands what she means. “Of course, Madam Umbridge, I will accept the position”.


	4. Who disappeared into the breeze, left no family left to grieve

Dirk Cresswell's wife lost her job the second day the new Ministry was in operation. Suzanne was a half-blood, yet when they'd fired ten Muggleborn solicitors and she'd said that wasn't what the DMLE stood for. That's when Dirk knew he had to be careful.

His sons had begun researching the family tree that weekend. The Cresswell family was well off with easy outs-Dirk's sisters had both immigrated to New Zealand. But both Dirk and Suzanne grew up poor, and they knew you didn't abandon others to suffer. They would stay, and they would do what they could.

Suzanne had taken a contract job in France and kept her head low. The new Ministry (the fake ministry, he'd mutter to himself), didn't have much to do with goblins, so he thought he was safe in his work as long as he had the copy of the false family tree, linking two of his great-grandparents as Irish wizards.

He was screaming the names of his false ancestors when he entered Azkaban.


	5. Wait, suppose that we untie your hands to sign upon this line

"Look, I never talked to him much", Zacharias said.

His former summer internship boss, Mr. Grenadier, was a middle man in the Department of Games of Sports. Zacharias didn't like him, but he was a good contact to have.

"Did you know anything about Dumbledore's Army?", Mr. Granadier replied. "Any of this could be useful. It's just a questionnaire for the Aurors." 

Zacharias reached for the packet in his boss's hands. He didn't know much after all. This was just for future job connections. And, he wanted to help Granadier out. He'd learned a lot in his internship.


	6. We will keep you safe and warm, that’s what the torch committee's for

She worried about her sisters back in Edinborough, who were both Healers.

One warm, perfect Tuesday she was looking at the beach and making coffee for the Fudges when she heard the radio blaring another announcement of the Muggle-Born registration committee. Mrs. Fudge was just finishing a letter as she brought the espressos in. Mrs. Fudge must have seen how nervous she was from her face because she squeezed her hand and said "don't worry, darling, the new administration is very favorable to Squibs." "I worry about my family too, " she replied, setting the coffee cups down. 

Cornelius came in then, from his daily stroll. "Why would you need to worry if they hadn't done anything wrong", he said, reaching for a croissant. "I know it's tough, but we just need to wait it out. Besides, you're basically family. You've been working for us forever. We'll take care of you."

She was still nervous, but she took the dog for a run and made gnocchi and she thought everything might be ok.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter features an original character, Cornelius Fudges' Squib housekeeper.


End file.
